The problem with caring

Last night, on the way home from practice at 11:30pm, I was reflecting on how very, very easy it would be to coach and do the college prep baseball thing if I did not care. If a player is not working hard, just let it go. If a player is doing something incorrectly, just let it go. If he is not meeting expectations in the weight room or in fitness levels, just let it go. Missing assignments, let it go.

Just let it go and focus on having fun, telling players and parents whatever they want to hear and ignoring issues. Let players show up whenever they want, no schedule, just nice and friendly and comfortable. Convenience and fun are the priorities. Fun and easy. Happy.

Bad grades, let it go. Showing up late, let it go. Not showing up, let it go. Crazy college lists, let it go. No college lists, let it go. Throwing 50% strikes, let it go. Rolling over in the cage, let it go. Being lazy in long toss, let it go.

No attachment, no loyalty, no commitments, no problems. Just cut kids that are struggling, Just focus time on the easily recruitable players, while ignoring others. Have 24 players rosters. Let coaches do whatever they want. Don’t help out people in financial trouble Just let it go. Cash shortfalls, let it go, Investments in new facilities and equipment, let it go. 1am letters to college coaches, let it go. 20 phones calls from college coaches, let it go. Honesty, let it go … way too hard!!

How is this player? Definite D1, throws 5mph harder that the gun reads.

How’s that player? Definite D1, you can teach him to throw strikes when he gets on campus.

How’s the other player? Has an offer from AR, 30 lbs overweight is very attractive to the SEC, so better offer fast.

It would be just swell to stand on the sidelines, doing the easy stuff, cashing checks living off the efforts of others. Let other people do the hard work of forming teams, selecting players, scheduling games, developing players, coaching games, traveling with teenagers, being responsible for teenagers, making lineups, helping them compete, dealing with emotions. That stuff is too hard and not fun.

That’s a nice gig! Everyone has fun, everyone likes you, no hard feelings, all cheerleading and everyone gets a prize at the end. Gosh, that sounds great! No worries.

Dr. Tom Hanson says the three most important words in baseball are “let it go”. Not what he meant, but golly-gee who cares. Hukuna matata.